Dinesh Trivedi's resignation could be big blow to Mamata

"I am resigning from the party as there is violence in my state. I am grateful to my party that it sent me here. I am feeling suffocated as we are not able to do anything about the violence in the state," Trivedi said while making the announcement on the floor of the Upper House.

"I will continue to serve the people of Bengal, but my soul tells me that if you can't do anything sitting here, then resign," Trivedi added.

The resignation of Trivedi could be a big blow to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the state going to the polls in the next few months.

Trivedi was the interface between Mamata Banerjee and Delhi politics, and was considered very close to the Chief Minister. Trivedi had been instrumental in Banerjee's association with the BJP and the NDA, and also with the UPA.

However, in the past few years, the local Trinamool leadership gained prominance in the party and Trivedi, who was once considered the right hand man of Banerjee, was gradually sidestepped from the party's major decision making process.

The Trinamool may feel the heat of Trivedi's decision to step down from the party in the run up to the Assembly elections in the state. While it would be interesting to see if he joins the BJP or takes another path, the saffron party's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya has already said that Trivedi is welcome if he intends to join the BJP.

A former Union Railway Minister, Trivedi played an instrumental role after Banerjee broke ties with the Congress and formed her own party.

He was a popular Trinamool face in Delhi. But as the clout of the other state leaders grew, he was gradually marginalised. In the Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien was named Trinamool's floor leader, despite Trivedi being senior to him.

Despite losing the 2019 general elections from Barrackpore against the BJP, Trivedi was still sent to the Rajya Sabha by Banerjee.

Speculation is rife now that Trivedi might be sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP from Gujarat.

Reacting to Trivedi's resignation, Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said that now a grassroots level worker can be sent to the Upper House.